Vacuum cleaner



Get, i0, 1944. F. c. DOUGHMAN VACUUM CLEANER Filed July 23, 1941 INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 10, 1944 VACUUM CLEANER Ferman C. Doughman,

`to Electrolux Corpor Stamford, Golm., assignor ation', New York, N. Y., av

corporation `of Delaware Application July 23, 1941, Serial N0. 403,625

4 Claims.

This `invention relates to vacuum cleaners and particularly to vacuum cleaners of the so-called inside bag type having a dust separator and a motor-fan unit located in a cleaner housing.

In the operation of vacuum cleaners some noise is produced by the flow of air through the cleaner and additional noise is caused by vibration of the motor-fan unit in its operation. Vibration of the motor-fan unit may be transmitted to other parts of the vacuum cleaner, increasing any noise produced thereby and possibly loosening parts of the cleaner.

The objects of the present invention are to provide an improved motor-.fan unit mounting for reducing the noise and vibration produced by the operation of said unit,`and to so construct the motor-fan unit and its mounting that it may be readily removed and replaced in the vacuum cleaner housing without special skill .or tools.

The various features and advantages of the invention may be better understood by reference to the following specification and appended claims `when considered in `connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional View of a vacuum cleaner embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View through the motor-fan compartment of the vacuum cleaner, showing the construction and mounting of the motor-fan unit.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional Viewv taken somewhat to one side of the section of Fig. 2 showing a method of assembly of the parts therein shown, and also the position of the air holes in the rear supporting plate.

The vacuum cleaner, in the form shown in the drawing, includes a cylindrical housing I hav- -ing a transverse interior bulkhead I I whichdivides the housing intoa dust compartment I2 and a motor-fan compartment I3.

' The forward end of the vacuum cleaner is provided with a cover I 4 which is detachably secured thereto by means of suitable clamps I 5, providing access to the dust bag I6 within the dust compartment I2. Cover I4 is provided with a suit-V able coupling member I1 for attachment to a ilexible hose I8, by which the cleaner may be pulled by the operator. Hose I8 is attached to a hollow wand I9 to which is connected the nozzle 20.

The cleaner unit rests on runners 22 by means of which it may be pulled over the oor or carpet. This general type of cleaner and its mode of use are well known. The operator generally holds the `wand I9 with the exible hose' I8 Aby a ange or collar 23, the

. of the series wound type.

(Cl.A 230-117) loose between the cleaner unit and the wand. The upper portion of housing IIJ is provided with a ridge 23. An elongated handle 24 of rubber 0r other suitable material is secured to the ridge 23 and to the top of housing I [I adjacent the rear end thereof, the handle forming in eiect a continuation of the ridge 23, The handle is above the motor-fan compartment which is at the center of gravity of the cleaner unit.

The bulkhead I I which, as previously described, separates the dust compartment I2 from the motor-fan compartment I3, has an outer cylindrical flange 26 which is preferably welded to the inner wall of housing Il) as shown in Fig. 2. The bulkhead II has a Vcentral opening 2] surrounded said opening `21 provding the only passage for air between v dust compartment I2 and motor-fan compartment I3. Tabs 29 project inwardly from the peripheral edge of the opening 27 in Abulkhead II and serve as stops for a screen 3D which is secured to the bulkhead IVI within dust compartment I2 as shown in Fig. 2. A suitable filter pad 3| may be secured to the bulkhead between dust bag IB and screen 3,9. The dust bag is preferably large so as to wrinkle within Achamber I2 and distention of the dust bag is resisted by `screen 3D ,and tabs 29.

The motor-fan unit is constructed as a single entity and is adapted to be readily inserted into the compartment I3 and withdrawn therefrom as a unit Without requiring assembly or adjustment of any kind. This unit includes a fan casing 33 and a motor casing 34 which are secured together in a unitary structure, the parts `for example being welded at 35 and bolted at 36. Y

The fan casing 33 comprises two fan housings 38 and 39. Housing .3.9 extends between centrifugal fans 40 and 4I which are mounted on the armature shaft 42 of motor 43 which is preferably l Intermediate directing vanes 44 are mounted on housing 39 as best shown in Fig.' 2.

The fan casing 33 has an opening surrounded by a cylindrical metal flange or collar 4S which is disposed axially of the armature shaft 42 of motor 43. Secured to flange 4 6 is a resilient vibration-absorbing ring Yor collar 4l1 consisting .of inner and outer annular metal bands 48 and 49 between which a resilient annular band 59 is secured by vulcanizing or in any other suitable manner. The resilient band 5i) is preferably made of rubber and,V in the form illustrated, has arcuate slots 5| formed in -theiace `thereof tovincrease its resiliency. The resilient ring or collar able manner, by welding for 41 which is thus secured to the flange 46 of fan casing 33 is adapted to t'snugly within the annular flange 28 of bulkhead II to support the forward end of the motor-fan unit within the compartment I3 of vacuum cleaner housing III) when the cleaner is assembled as hereinafter described, the outer metal band 49 of ring 41 being readily slidable into and out of said flange 28.

Motor casing 34 is formed at its rear end with a circular hub 53 to which there is removably attached a resilient vibration-absorbing ring or collar 54 similar to the ring 41 described above. This ring assembly consists of inner and outer metal bands 55 and 56 and a band 51 of rubber or similar resilient material which is located between and vulcanized or otherwise secured to the bands 55 and 56, the band 51 likewise preferably having arcuate slots 58 formed in its face to increase the resiliency ofthe ringl assembly 54.

The motor casing has a rear supporting plate 6|] having an annular inwardly-turned flange 6I which lits snugly over the outer metal band 56 of the Vibration-absorbing ring 54. As illustrated the flange 6I is riveted to the plate 6I), but it may be secured thereto in any other manner or may be formed integral therewith. The plate 60 extends radially inwardly beyond flange 6I a distance substantially equal to the thickness of band 56 and the flange 6I has its inner edge spun over at 62, thus securely fixing the band 56, and consequently, the entire ring assembly 54 to the plate 66. A lock wire 63 is sprung upon the hub 53 of the motor casing to removably lock the assembly 54 thereto. The inner metal band 55 fa- 'cilitates removal of ring 54 from the hub 53 after the motor-fan unit and plate 60 are withdrawn from the housing.

The rear supporting plate 6|] is thus secured to the motor casing through the intermediary of the vibration-absorbing ring 54, thus isolating vibrations of the motor-fan unit from the plate 66 and from the vacuum cleaner casing I0.V The plate 60 is secured to lter casing 65 in any suitexample, as indicated at 14. The casing 65 is detachably secured .to the cleaner casing I0 by any suitable means.

In Fig. 3, by way of example, the parts are shown bolted together. Also shown in this figure are air holes in plate 60. Filter compartment casing 65 has a discharge opening 66. A lter may be placed in compartment casing 65 in addition to or in lieu of filter pad 3l. Attached to casing 65 are the usual step switch 69, plug 10 and the various electrical connections to the motor. The

4rear of the vacuum cleaner housing IlIl is closed by means of a cover 1I which may be detachably secured thereto in any suitable manner as byV means of a screw 12, the cover 1| having an openl ing 13 registering with opening 66 in lter casing 65. Cover 1I also has a suitable opening to permit the step switch 69 to projectA therefrom,

, and an opening providing access to the plug 16.

The motor-fan unit including fan casing 33 and motor casing 34 is a single unitary structure, as previously described, and the special mounting described above enables said unit to be removed from the motor-fan compartment I3 of vacuum cleaner casing Ill, and reinserted therein, with a minimum of effort and without requiring special skill or tools. In assembling the parts,

, all that is necessary is to insert the forward end of fan casing 33 into the rear open end of compartment I3 until the resilient ring 41 telescopes aedz'i into the flange 2B of bulkhead I I, after which the' filter casing 65 and supporting plate 66 are simply bolted to the interior of cylindrical housing IIJ, as shown in Fig. 3 and the rear cover 1I is secured in place. When so assembled, the resilient vibration-absorbing rings tute the sole support for the motor-f an unit within the vacuum cleaner housing I0.

In operation, the motor 43 and fans 40 and 4I are rotated and produce a flow of air from left to right in the cleaner housing l0, as viewed in the drawing, thus producing a suction at the cleaningnozzle 20. When the nozzle 20 is in contact with a rug, a certain amount of air and dirt will be drawn into the vacuum cleaner bag. When nozzle 20 is Ylifted from the rug, a greater quantity of air will ow through the cleaner, which will increase the load on the motor and fans and thus, with a variable speed motor, result in reducing the speed of rotation. If the nozzle 20 is sealed tight against an impervious surface there may be substantially no flow of air through Vthe vacuum cleaner, and in such case Vthe load of air flowing therethrough may vary over a active torque is absorbed The resulting variation in the reby the resilient rings 41 and 54 without producing sympathetic vibrations in other parts of the vacuum cleaner. Due to the construction of the resilient rings 41 and 54, and due to the fact that said rings are located axially of the armature shaft of the motor and ata relatively small radius from the axis of the motor, they will absorb the greater part of the vibrations and prevent them from being transmitted, thus substantially reducing the noise of operation as well as the possibility of loosening the parts of the machine.

Y The invention claimed is:

l. A vacuum cleaner comprising a housing having an opening at each end, a transverse bulkhead within said housing having a central flanged opening therein and dividing the housing into a dust compartment at the forward end and a mowide range.

vtor-fan compartment at the rear end of the housing, a motor-fan unit adapted for insertion in said last-mentioned compartment through the opening at the rear'end of said housing, a short tubular member projecting Voutwardly from the forward end of said unit and being of substantially less diameter than said unit and constituting an inlet passage for the fan, a resilient ring permanently secured around said tubular member and adapted to slide into the anged opening in said A ing an opening at each end, a transverse bulkhead within said housing having a central opening therein and dividing the housing into a dust compartment at the forward end and a motor-fan compartment at the rear end of the housing, a motor-fan unit adapted. for insertion in said last-mentioned compartment through the rear end of said housing, ,a resilient ring per- 41 and 54 constimanently secured on the forward end of said motor-fan unit, an outer metal band secured around said ring and providing a metal surface slidable into the opening in said bulkhead to support said unit thereon, a second resilient ring on the rear end of said motor-fan unit, a rear plate secured to said second resilient ring, and means for securing said rear plate to said housing.

3. A vacuum cleaner comprising a housing having an opening at each end, a transverse bulkhead Within said housing having a central flanged opening therein and dividing the housing into a dust compartment and a motor-fan compartment at the rear end of the housing, sertion in said last-mentioned compartment through the opening at the rear end of said housing, a short tubular member projecting outwardly from the forward end of said unit and being of substantially less diameter than said unit and constituting an inlet passage for the fan, a resilient ring permanentlyl secured around said tubular member, an outer metal band secured around said ring and providing a metal surface slidable into the anged opening in said bulkhead at the forward end a motor-fan unit adapted for in-` to support said unit therein, a second resilient ring on the rear end of said motor-fan unit, and means for supporting said second ring in said housing.

4. A vacuum cleaner comprising a housing having an opening at each end, a transverse bulkhead within said housing having a central opening therein and dividing the housing into a dust compartment and a motor-fan compartment, a motor-fan unit in said housing including a motor having an armature shaft and a rotary fan carried thereby, a resilient ring permanently secured to one end of said motor-fan unit around the axis of said armature, said ring having an outer metal band secured thereto and providing a metal surface slidable into the opening in said bulkhead to support said unit thereon, a second resilient ring secured to the other end of said motor-fan unit around the axis of said armature, a rear plate secured to said second resilient ring and removable with said motor-fan unit, and means for detachably securing said rear plate to said housing permitting the removal of said motor-fan unit upon releasing said rear plate.

FERMAN C. DOUGHMAN. 

